The awards, which honour exceptional storytelling and literary achievement, will recognise outstanding writers in four categories: Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding African Writer, Outstanding Young Rwandan Writer, and Outstanding Female Rwandan Writer.

In announcing the call for entries, Bridgevision also unveiled this year’s panel of five judges, drawn from both Rwandan and international institutions.

“Our panel of experts are representatives of five respectable Rwandan and international institutions, and we believe that they will do an honorable job in selecting and elevating books meant to educate, inform, inspire, challenge, and comfort Rwandan and African readers all over the continent,” said Joe E. Sully, CEO of Bridgevision.

The judging panel features a blend of writers, publishers, academics, critics, and literary enthusiasts. They represent institutions such as the Ministry of Youth and Arts, UNESCO Rwanda, the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, the United States Embassy in Kigali, and the East African University.

Detailed profiles of the judges will be made available on Bridgevision’s website, www.bridgevisionllc.com.

The Radiate Rwanda Literary Excellence Awards is an initiative spearheaded by Bridgevision in partnership with local and international organisations. The aim is to recognise and elevate voices shaping the Rwandan and African literary landscape.

Eligible authors and stakeholders in the book industry are encouraged to submit their works before the deadline of May 9, 2025, at 6:00 pm (Central Africa Time).

Eligible authors and stakeholders in the book industry are encouraged to submit their works before the deadline of May 9, 2025, at 6:00 pm (Central Africa Time).

Winners will be revealed during an in-person awards ceremony scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2025, in Kigali.

The winners of the inaugural Radiate Rwanda Literary Excellence Awards included Yolande Mukagasana, who received the Outstanding Woman Writer Award. Other recipients were Bishop Alexis Kagame and Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami.

The winners of the inaugural Radiate Rwanda Literary Excellence Awards included Yolande Mukagasana, who received the Outstanding Woman Writer Award. Other recipients were Bishop Alexis Kagame and Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami.